Darrow oversees the silent imprisonment of Atlas, refusing to escalate torture despite pressure to learn Atalantia’s timetable. Atlas recites a crude Latin warning, deepening Darrow’s unease. As the city prepares a secret evacuation, Darrow tours defenses and reviews surveillance, fixating on Glirastes’s ward, Cato, and an unexplained cellar gap.

Back in his quarters, Darrow obsesses over Cato’s innocuous routines until Thraxa arrives with food. During their talk, Cato mutters “Truth over all” in his sleep, triggering Darrow’s recognition and immediate alarm. He rushes to verify his suspicion.

Darrow orders a DNA comparison against Sevro’s bloody trophy and gets a related match, confirming Cato’s true identity as Lysander au Lune. He snaps into action: Screwface is told to suit up; Harnassus is ordered to lure Glirastes away from his machines, then stun, strip, scan, and jail him under heavy guard; noncombatants are to evacuate; and a particle beam is to destroy the Spirit of Faran’s EMP.

Alerting his command pool, Darrow declares an omega-level breach and anticipates a synchronized enemy strike. He then opens Alexandar’s and Rhonna’s implants aboard the Lady Beatrice, instructing them not to react and not to engage; a Howler team is en route because the man with them is Lysander au Lune.